


The Last Days of Summer

by idra



Series: 30 Days of Fic (June 2014) [24]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-28
Updated: 2014-06-28
Packaged: 2018-02-06 13:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1858965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idra/pseuds/idra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve realizes he finally belongs somewhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Days of Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Uhm. I dunno. My first foray into the Marvel Cinematic 'verse. Not sure I'll write anymore Marvel stuff, but I wanted to try. For my 30 day challenge, which I am woefully behind in. I will attempt to catch up this weekend.

The first summer he's back is oddly the easiest. He goes and sees Peggy for a while, talks about the "good ole' days." Not that there's much good, in his mind. Bucky's off-- who knows where, hiding from SHIELD and the rest of the governments across the world. The rest of the Howling Commandos are long since gone. Natasha is nowhere to be found, Nick Fury is presumed dead by 99% of the world, the rest of the Avengers are off doing their own things and he's mostly alone. He's got Sam and that has proven to be one of the best parts of his current life. Sam keeps him grounded. Sam keeps him focused on healing, not just the physical parts, but the mental. It's not easy knowing that Bucky is out there, but not reachable. At least Steve has the knowledge that Bucky is alive. The rest will come.

It's nearing the end of that first summer when Steve looks up from where he's staring at the chess game he and Sam have been playing half-heartedly for the last month. He smiles when Sam holds up a movie. (He's still adjusting to the idea of having movies in his own living room. Having a TV that looks like a movie screen blew him away.) "What are we watching now?" 

"Star Wars."

Steve raises an eyebrow. "Uhm, you are aware we not that long ago had our own version of-"

"It's different, Steve. I promise. Nothing like what you did. It's just fun and it takes place entirely in space. Just trust me, okay?" 

"You know I do. You're one of the only people I still trust explicitly."

Sam puts in one of the discs, then flops onto the couch. "Stop staring at the board and join me," Sam says, patting the couch. 

Steve walks over and settles on the couch, staring at the side of Sam's head. "Why are we watching a movie about wars in space? Haven't we lived enough wartime to last forever?"

"Dude, seriously. Just enjoy. I'm going to go make popcorn." Sam rolls his eyes and starts for the kitchen.

Steve sighs a little, but leans against the arm of the couch. "I don't suppose I could get a lemonade?"

"You, my friend, are too wholesome for your own good. We need to get you laid."

"As I told Natasha before she headed off to "find herself," I'm not interested in "getting laid". I want... There's no one out there who's going to have the experiences I have."

"Steve, if you're waiting around for another 95 year old who looks like they're in their late twenties, early thirties, that's never going to happen. You are... well, not really one of a kind anymore, but you are unique, Steve. Unless you start dating Bucky." Sam chuckles. 

Steve sighs a little. "Yeah. That'd be a great relationship. Say hi, he disappears for months on end and we never actually go out on dates. Perfect relationship. Oh wait, that is my current status with Bucky."

Sam comes back out, carrying a bowl of popcorn and two glasses of lemonade. "So you wouldn't have an issue with dating a man?"

"No. I don't see why it should be an issue."

Sam claps his shoulder and sits down next to him, placing the bowl of popcorn between them. "I can hook you up. I know a couple of good gay clubs. There's always gay soldiers in my PTSD seminars. They like to talk to me."

"That would be because you are shockingly easy to talk to." Steve smiles at him. "I don't know about the gay club thing. I'm not much of a dancer. But... I don't know, Sam."

"Look, we can find you a soldier who's single, so you can have some stuff in common. Or maybe just find you a nice single dude who just wants to go out for coffee or whatever."

Steve snorts a little. "Tell you what, when I'm ready to date, I'll take you up on that, okay?"

"Cool. I don't mean to push you into something you're not ready for, bro, I just wanna help."

Steve nods. "I appreciate it. Now, can we go out and do something? I'm kind of... I don't know. Itchy?"

"Let's go for a run. Well, you walk and I'll run and we may be at the same pace." 

Steve laughs and gets to his feet. "I'll go change."

When Steve returns to the living room, Sam has changed into his workout clothes and the two of them go running at the local park. 

They get back to Sam's and Steve leans against the door. "I should go, I guess."

Sam looks over at him and raises an eyebrow. "Steve, you've all but moved in. The only thing left for you to do is cancel your weekly payments at that dump you've been living in. I've got the room and it's yours until you want to find something more permanent."

Steve looks over at him. "You sure? I'm at the end of my week of rent. Think we could shower and go pick up my stuff?" 

Sam grins. "Of course man. I'll go shower now. Unless you want to hit the shower first?"

"Nah you shower first. I'm gonna grab a sandwich, if that's okay?"

"Sure. The chunky peanut butter is in the cupboard and the strawberry jam is in the fridge, top shelf. Bread is by the toaster. I even bought that white crap you like."

Steve snorts. "I told you, I'll eat whatever kind of bread you have. I'm not that picky."

Sam shrugs. "You like white bread 'cause you are white bread. It's all good."

"Whatever, Sam." Steve chuckles as he heads into the kitchen and makes himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He leans against the counter, chewing slowly. Suddenly, he remembers Sam telling him how much he hated peanut butter and jelly and that he was allergic to strawberries. So why does Sam have strawberry jam in his refrigerator? Steve walks down the hall and knocks on the bathroom door. "Sam?"

"Yeah, Steve?" The door opens and Steve looks at Sam.

"You have strawberry jam. You're allergic to strawberries."

Sam nods. "Yeah. I bought it 'cause you don't like grape and I saw the face you made at my apricot, dude. You're over here enough that I figure I should have some food you like. You're not really that picky, but I want you to have someplace you're comfortable in."

Steve smiles a little. "Thanks, Sam."

"No problem, Steve. Now, finish off that sandwich and hop in. I'll buy you lunch if you buy dinner."

"Pizza?" 

"For both?"

"For lunch. Or dinner. Whichever."

Sam laughs. "Let's have pizza for lunch, then we'll figure out dinner later."

Steve nods and hops in the shower, smiling to himself. It's not what he had growing up and Sam can never replace Bucky, but Steve's glad he has someone to be with that he can be himself around.


End file.
